The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Investigations) Order 2013

Disclosure orders

16.—(1) A High Court judge may, on an application made to them by an appropriate officer, make a disclosure order if the judge is satisfied that each of the requirements for the making of the order is fulfilled.

(2) The application for a disclosure order must state that—

(a) property specified in the application is subject to an external investigation,

(b) the order is sought for the purposes of the investigation, and

(c) the condition in article 3(2) is met in respect of the property.

(3) A disclosure order is an order authorising an appropriate officer to give to any person the appropriate officer considers has relevant information notice in writing requiring them to do, with respect to any matter relevant to the external investigation, any or all of the following—

(a) answer questions, either at a time specified in the notice or at once, at a place so specified,

(b) provide information specified in the notice, by a time and in a manner so specified,

(c) produce documents, or documents of a description, specified in the notice, either at or by a time so specified or at once, and in a manner so specified.

(4) Relevant information is information (whether or not contained in a document) which the appropriate officer concerned considers to be relevant to the external investigation.

(5) A person is not bound to comply with a requirement imposed by a notice given under a disclosure order unless evidence of authority to give the notice is produced to them.